Even more ruthless was Nicole, who, despite having a gun, insisted on using a hammer. The gleaming silver hammer in her hands danced swiftly as she met the charging werewolf without hesitation.
"Thud!" The hard skull of the werewolf was split open, its brain matter splattering in all directions.
"Nicole! Where's your gun? Can't you make it less gruesome?" Zhao Lun was unfortunate enough to have his face splattered, the nauseating stench of blood overwhelming him.
"Okay!" Nicole, satisfied with her test of the werewolf's skull, withdrew her hammer and drew her gun to begin shooting.
These werewolves, despite their speed, were not invincible. With renewed confidence, she faced them head-on.
Boom! Mulan swung a box from behind her, sending one werewolf flying. After it crashed to the ground, it was motionless, blood flowing from its mouth and nose.
Killed by shock! Mulan used her martial arts, employing a short-force technique through the box to strike, shattering the enemy's brain matter.
Her movements appeared brutish, but far cleaner than Nicole's.
"I didn't expect her to have such a skill!"
At home, Mulan was most known for her culinary skills, and Zhao Lun had never witnessed her fighting ability. When teaching Nicole and the others, she appeared normal. He never expected her to possess such profound techniques, which was quite beyond his expectations.
Bang! Nicole switched to a pistol, harvesting the lives of the werewolves.
All petrified! Shattered into pieces! Penelope's magic poured forth continuously, wielding her power with increasing finesse. What had started as clumsy gestures now revealed a growing mastery as the magic's power surged.
The remaining werewolves, now frightened, began fleeing at the sight of defeat, but it was too late.
Bang bang bang! —
With their backs exposed, they were met by a barrage of bullets. They had already adapted to the werewolves' speed, and this round of shooting was even more successful.
These werewolves, mere regular ones, could not escape their inevitable fate when faced with such an onslaught. One by one, they were struck, and infected by the silver bullets, they turned to ash in agony.
In an instant, all the werewolves were eliminated!
With the werewolves eradicated, the group took a brief respite, quickly scanning the surroundings before moving on to the next location.
The werewolves carried a virus; any scratches or bites would lead to infection, transforming the victim into a mindless creature.
The werewolves' most terrifying ability was the capacity to spread the infection, a fearsome power that could cause even children to stop crying.
The townspeople's weapons were little more than farming tools, ineffective against such creatures, their resistance as feeble as lambs, unable to fight back.
For Anna, as a noble, her swords, silver stakes, crucifixes, and firearms were of limited use against these non-human entities. To defeat these monsters, one would have to risk their life.
Sacrifice was not the frightening part; what was terrifying was the possibility of being infected by their poison and eventually turning into a werewolf. This was the fate of many of the werewolves in the town. They were controlled by Dracula, his minions.
This time, the battle ended quickly, in less than three minutes. Yet, the sound of gunfire had already echoed out, likely alerting the other werewolves. The group immediately moved on.
The slain werewolves turned to ash, leaving nothing behind, and their filthy, disorganized cave held no valuable remnants.
As they departed, the area grew quiet.
Soon after, distant gunshots echoed again, rapidly followed by more intermittent bursts until they ceased in the afternoon.
By the riverbank, a small campfire was lit, and while preparing a meal, they reflected on the recent battle.
"So, were there any problems?" Zhao Lun asked the girls nearby, offering them cups of tea.
The fragrant tea, wafting through the cups, revived their spirits and calmed their previously agitated hearts.
"The werewolves were no match for us!" Nicole said, holding her gun.
Against these seemingly fragile werewolves, they no longer seemed to have any cause for concern.
"These werewolves are very different from those in the magical realm," Penelope remarked. "In the beginning, I was a bit tense, but now there's no problem." A blush appeared on Penelope's face, and after a sip of tea, she regained her usual composure.
Mulan was busy preparing food, while Anna disagreed with Nicole's statement: "It's not that these werewolves are weak, but rather our weapons are too effective against them!"
These werewolves had obvious strengths, but their weaknesses were just as apparent. Against silver bullets, they were nearly defenseless. Once attacked, they were doomed. Thus, as they slaughtered their way through, it seemed like the werewolves were no match at all.
The right equipment could make up for many issues. Anna believed that if the town had such weapons, they wouldn't need to worry about these werewolves.
But, their town lacked such resources. Even silver items were scarce and valuable, with each piece precious.
"The weapons are highly effective, but they wouldn't stand up to my hammer strike," Nicole replied, weighing her hammer.
Recently, she had taken a liking to this heavy weapon, seldom using her gun.
"Average," Mulan added simply.
Anna had no retort. The people in front of her were truly worthy of making such statements. Whether in terms of strength or weaponry, they exuded confidence.
She had used these weapons in battle herself, and it was precisely these weapons that had turned the tide in their favor, allowing her to experience a type of exhilarating battle she had never known before!
If they had such weapons, perhaps her brother wouldn't have encountered trouble? The thought made Anna feel inexplicably sorrowful. Her brother, still missing, had become more of a shadow the longer time passed. As the days stretched on, her hopes of finding him alive grew dimmer.
"Anna, is something wrong with the weapon?"
Nicole noticed Anna's mood seemed off, thinking perhaps she wasn't used to the weapon.
"No, I was just thinking about my brother," Anna replied, forcing a smile.
"I believe your brother is still alive," Nicole said.
"Thank you, I hope so," Anna said, no longer holding much hope.
"This isn't just hope; it's the truth. Let me explain." Nicole began her analysis.
At this moment, Zhao Lun silently served the food, listening without interjecting.
"...Your brother was scratched. Anyone scratched will become a werewolf. Werewolves are incredibly resilient. Even if they fall from a cliff, they could survive. And I heard he fell into the water, so he's definitely alive."
Her analysis was met with unanimous agreement from the group.
"Becoming a werewolf? Then what about him?" Anna felt both joy and worry.
"He's either hiding, or he's been captured and imprisoned, under control."
"Based on my deduction, the likelihood of him being captured and controlled is higher."
"The most likely enemy is that vampire Dracula!"
Nicole's analysis impressed Zhao Lun. She was spot on!
Anna fell silent for a moment, her expression firming: "No matter who it is, I will destroy them and rescue my brother! I will fulfill the will of my ancestors, and give them peace, sending them to heaven!" (To be continued…)